Express & Star

Mark Kennedy: I want the Wolves U23 job permanently

Wolves’ interim U23 boss Mark Kennedy says he wants the job on a permanent basis.

Published

Kennedy has taken on the role of caretaker boss since Edwards’ exit to the FA in October.

He steered the young Wolves side to a 1-1 draw with Paris Saint Germain at Molineux on Wednesday and revealed he has thrown his hat in the ring.

He said: “Yes, 100 per cent (I want the job). Why wouldn’t I? It’s a top club, and you’ve seen on Wednesday night, we’ve got an amazing group of players and it’s an amazing club.”

Wolves’ Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell revealed the club are actively looking for a replacement for Edwards.

And Kennedy is expecting to discover if he has the role permanently in the next two weeks.

He said: “I’m a very open guy and I get into a lot of trouble for being too honest.

“I can honestly say there is no update. I’ve been doing the job for eight weeks, I’ve absolutely loved it and if I wasn’t here tomorrow, I will thank the club, shake their hands and wish them all the best and be eternally grateful for the opportunity.

“If I am here and the next day, I’ll be here and I’ll embrace it and I’ll give it everything I’ve got.

“I’m very respectful that in any walk of life, there’s a process, and I’ve been doing it for eight weeks.

“I knew the day I stepped in for Rob – and we were all gutted Rob left – that it would be a minimum of six weeks, so I didn’t expect anything to happen.

“But I know the club are working really hard to get to the end of that decision, and I am pretty sure being honest, that they will decide that within the next two weeks.”

Ex-Wolves player Kennedy returned to Compton Park in September from a coaching role at Manchester City.

And he believes Wolves’ academy are hot on the heels of the likes of City.

He said: “If you go back about five or six years, Wolves would have had a good academy, but now it’s an academy people are talking about, now it’s an academy that’s hot on the heels of the great academies that everybody knows is out there.

“Not only are they on the heels of those, but they do it without the budget of others.

“I worked at Manchester City and it’s an unbelievable academy, but they also have an unbelievable budget and resources.

“So to do it on a different budget and different resources, everybody involved deserved a huge amount of credit.

“It’s a great club to be involved in. If I wasn’t there, that’s life, what can you do? I still get to go home and see my wife and kids, so I’ve got lots to smile about.”